London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

1 in 4 Brits give up on NHS non-emergency calls due to long queues caused by staff shortages

1 in 4 Brits give up on NHS non-emergency calls due to long queues caused by staff shortages

Almost a quarter of callers hang up while attempting to ring the National Health Service’s (NHS) non-emergency 111 phone line because of wait times that far exceed the service’s call-handling target.
The average wait time across the UK was roughly eight minutes in July, but in northeast England, some callers were left waiting for up to 25 minutes, The Guardian reported on Sunday. In comparison, NHS targets suggest a caller should not be waiting for more than 20 seconds.

111 is an NHS phone line that can be used to report health concerns that are not considered to be an emergency. It’s used by many British people when they need to reach a medical practitioner more quickly than it would take to secure an available appointment with their own doctor.

Due to the lengthy queues, 24% – or nearly one in four callers – bailed on their attempts to reach 111 in July – up by 16% since April, when callers were left waiting for just over a minute and a half, on average. In the Northeast, the figure was even higher, with half of all callers giving up before reaching a staff member. NHS targets suggest that just 3% of callers should be put in a position where they consider it preferable to hang up before connecting.

A spokesperson for the NHS told The Guardian that the longer waiting times were due to an “increased demand” amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the backlog it has caused, with “call handlers seeing a 44% increase in calls during July compared with the same month in 2019”.

The GMB trade union’s public-services officer, Rachel Harrison, said the long queues were also due to “a staffing crisis” in the health sector, with “exhaustion and burnout, Covid sickness and the impact of low pay on workers” leading to fewer staff to deal with the increased numbers of callers.

“When people can’t get through to 111, they turn to 999 – which, in turn, increases the demands and pressures on our already-overstretched ambulance services,” Harrison added.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×